Costa Rica tour highlights
Embrace the pura vida lifestyle on our immersive small group holidays to Costa Rica, discovering the highlights of Monteverde and Manuel Antonio National Park or try exploring Costa Rica by bicycle. We even offer family holidays to Costa Rica, with a range of exciting activities for children aged 7 and over.
Whether you’re looking to traverse the volcanic trails of Arenal Volcano National Park, discover the wildlife of the dense cloud forest or just escape to Costa Rica’s stunning Caribbean beaches, take a closer look at some of our favourite highlights of Costa Rica:
Tortuguero National Park
Perhaps one of Costa Rica’s most famous inhabitants is the sloth, and one of the best places to view these extraordinary creatures is Tortuguero National Park - a coastal reserve where the rainforest meets the sea in a network of complex canals and lagoons. Established in 1970 and covering close to 19,000 hectares, Tortuguero protects the largest green sea turtle nesting population in the Western Hemisphere.
Tortuguero national park is known as the ‘mini Amazon’ for its diversity of wildlife, with more than 400 different species of birds and 60 species of mammals including manatees and tapirs. Accommodation here is generally in traditional forest lodges, where you’ll have the chance to get up close and personal with sloths, as well as a variety of birdlife including herons, storks and kingfishers who feed on the rich fish stocks. Tortuguero National Park actually translates as ‘land of the turtles’, so as well as the furry and feathered inhabitants you may also get to spot the sea turtles that call the area home. You can go sloth-spotting in Tortuguero National Park on many of our Costa Rica trips, including our best-selling Costa Rica Wildlife tour or our shorter Highlights of Costa Rica adventure.
Volcanoes
Costa Rica’s volcanoes are a must-see for all visitors, whether you come for the spectacular views or the hiking trails. Situated in the north of the country, Arenal is Costa Rica’s best-known active volcano, standing more than 1,600 metres in height and almost perfectly conical in shape. It erupted continuously for 42 years, from 1968 until 2010, and has been dormant ever since, though it remains classified as an active volcano. You can view the volcano from a variety of angles on one of the many great footpaths, or perhaps try something more adventurous like rafting or zip-wiring, perfect for families. The base of the volcano is edged by the tranquil Lake Arenal, and if you opt for our Cycle Costa Rica holiday you’ll skirt the northern shores of the lake with magnificent views of the volcano.
Rainforests and cloud forests
With monkeys swinging in the trees and a cacophony of sound, exploring the dense and vibrant Costa Rican rainforest is a multi-sensory experience. One of the finest examples of dense jungle is in Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, a 10,500-hectare private reserve established in 1972 to protect on of Central America’s last great cloud forests. If you’re feeling brave you can fly through the treetops on a zip-line, or perhaps take a jaw-dropping stroll along the treetop walkways. At night the cloud forest comes alive; on a nocturnal walking tour you may spot tarantulas or pacas – a spotty herbivorous rodent.
Solo travel in Costa Rica
Every one of our Costa Rica holidays is ideal for solo travellers. It depends on the tour, but generally around half of our customers will be travelling solo. If you’re a considering travelling on an Explore holiday on your own, you’ll meet likeminded fellow travellers on the trip to share your experiences with. You can leave all of the logistics to us and just enjoy preparing for your holiday.
Best time to go to Costa Rica
High Season
Costa Rica’s dry season typically runs from November to March when you can expect hot, humid days with plenty of sunshine. Due to less rainfall and more desirable weather, this is also the busiest time to travel, though we tend to avoid the tourist hotspots wherever possible. Book towards the start of the dry season to see the rainforests at their best.
Green Season
To see Costa Rica in full bloom, head there during the Green Season which typically runs from April until September. Although the country experiences more rainfall and is slightly hotter during this time, the jungle is fully nourished, and waterfalls cascade through the valleys in full flow. The country also experiences less tourism during this time, so you’re more likely to enjoy quiet white-sand beaches and clear forest trails.
Microclimates
Despite the general split of dry and rainy seasons, Costa Rica’s unique geography means it consists of several different ecological zones, each characterised by twelve microclimates. Due to this, the weather can vary significantly from place to place, even on the same day. Areas near to the coast will feel warm, but you can expect it to be colder as you head into more mountainous regions.
Turtle Nesting
To experience the magical sight of nesting turtles, book a trip to Costa Rica between July and November. During this time, over five-thousand green sea turtles land on Tortuguero, the Western Hemisphere’s most important green turtle nesting site. Witness this spectacle on our
Costa Rica Wildlife tour. Walk along the shore at dusk to watch these spectacular creatures rest on the sand, waiting for their eggs to hatch.